Here's what you need to know this morning.
Rainfall expected to intensify
Sydney is preparing for yet another deluge, with forecasters warning that today will bring the worst of the rainfall associated with a deepening coastal trough.
A severe weather warning is in place from the Central Coast down to the South Coast.
Some areas could see falls of up to 140mm, which could lead to flash flooding in the Illawarra, parts of the South Coast and the Southern Tablelands.
There's also the potential for further landslides.
Sarah Scully from the Bureau of Meteorology said six-hourly rainfall totals between 60mm and 100mm were likely, reaching up to 140mm over coastal areas.
"That severe weather warning extends from Gosford all the way down south to Bega, pushing inland to the Great Dividing Range," Ms Scully said.
A minor-to-moderate flood warning has been issued for the Nepean, Hawkesbury, Lower Hunter and Colo rivers.
Paramedics, hospital workers to strike
Thousands of paramedics, hospital cleaners and allied workers will work off the job today in support of their claim for the lifting of the public sector wage cap and better resourcing in hospitals.
Patients are being warned to expect delays, with staff planning to hold stop-work meetings for up to four hours outside hospitals.
The Health Services Union (HSU) says ambulances will still respond to serious and life-threatening emergencies.
NSW HSU secretary Gerard Hayes said the workers had worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic and deserved higher wages.
"Health and hospital workers are sick of mealy mouthed rhetoric. We don't need another politician thanking us for being heroes of the pandemic. We need a pay rise," he said.
Blaze erupts in Sydney's north-west
An investigation is underway into the cause of a large factory fire at Rydalmere in Sydney's north-west overnight.
There were 20 fire trucks and 100 firefighters on the scene at Brodie Street, with flames seen billowing into the sky.
The fire caused structural damage to the front of the factory, which is believed to hold furniture and timber goods.
There were no injuries reported.
Police attended to form an exclusion zone, and authorities say there will be be an investigation into what sparked the fire.
Aged care home flooded
Some residents of an aged care facility in Sydney's south were evacuated from their rooms overnight as torrential rain caused havoc.
Police, firefighters and State Emergency Service crews were called to St Basils Aged Care in Kogarah about 2:30am this morning as water entered some residents' rooms.
Affected residents were safely moved, while sandbags were used to divert water away from the facility.
Flash flooding also caused parts of the Princes Highway in Kogarah to go underwater and two drivers unable to see the surface ended up with flat tyres.
A manhole near the intersection with English Lane popped open due to surging rainwater, and two vehicles — including a police wagon — collided with the unseen hazard.
Traffic was restricted to one lane during the height of the flooding.
Transport Minister 'disappointed' over bus strike
The state's Transport Minister, David Elliott, said it was "disappointing" that bus drivers had decided to strike on the first day of the school holidays.
He said said he was working with private bus companies to minimise the impact on passengers.
Mr Elliott said it was a blow to companies trying to recoup losses incurred during the pandemic and the recent floods.
"Many small businesses will be relying on the patronage of families out and about during the holidays to help them recover and rebuild," he said.
The bus drivers' union has announced that drivers on three privatised bus routes will walk off the job on Monday in support of their claim for equal pay and conditions for drivers employed since privatisation.
Health Minister holds talks with nurses' union
Talks have been held between Health Minister Brad Hazzard and the union representing nurses and midwives, who staged a second, state-wide strike last Thursday.
The NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association is calling for improvements to staffing levels and better pay.
General Secretary Brett Holmes said the pandemic had placed extra pressure on the hospital system, leading to staff burnout.
He said the meeting was a chance to discuss staff-to-patient ratios in metropolitan and regional health facilities.
"We had the opportunity to discuss the dire staffing crisis in our public hospitals as well as the extraordinary lengths nurses and midwives are having to go to [in order] to maintain health services," he said.
The Health Minister, who tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, said he was trying to address the union's claims while balancing them against budget pressures.
"The extraordinary job they do and, particularly during COVID, emphasises the need to achieve fair and balanced outcomes on wages and conditions," Mr Hazzard said.
Almost 30m free rapid antigen tests delivered
Pharmacies around the country have handed out almost 30 million free rapid antigen tests to eligible concession cardholders since the scheme began earlier this year.
A total of 28.9 million testing kits have been distributed to more than 4.3 million people.
The free tests became available on January 24 for those with a Pensioner Concession Card or Low Income Health Care Card.
In NSW, almost four million people have now received a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine, that's 64.7 per cent of those eligible.
